A hand-held blow dryer normally has a relatively smooth handle that can easily be grasped by the user and a relatively large head. As described in German Pat. publications Nos. 2,307,992 and 2,327,622 it is standard practice to provide the housing of this unit with a blower whose fan is provided in the head of the dryer along with a heater. A motor rotates the fan to force a current of air over the heater and through an outlet of the housing. This heated current of air is directed at the head of the user for drying and styling of his or her hair.
Such a dryer always has an on and off switch, and is usually provided at least with a blower-speed control, normally in form of a multiposition switch provided on the side of the handle. It is also known to provide some sort of temperature regulation on the handle or on the side of the device, normally in the form of a multiposition switch.
Such systems all have the considerable defect that it is not an easy operation to manipulate the controls. The user must reposition his or her hand on the device to operate the controls, or use the other hand to operate them. Attempts to provide the controls in convenient locations result normally in placing them in locations which make the dryer hard to hold, and where accidental actuation of these controls is a common occurrence.